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Courtesy of NPR and the American Red Cross

The Red Cross defines their mission statement as one that “prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.” It is an indisputable fact that the Red Cross has done a lot of good work to help those suffering in the aftermath of natural disasters. However, just how much of the generosity of donors goes to alleviating human suffering?

After the 2010 Haitian earthquake, the Red Cross received $500 million dollars in donations and funding to help with the Haiti crisis. NPR did a study to track down where the money went and their results were concerning: how much did they actually contributed to the cause? While the Red Cross claims that they have helped thousands of people find permanent housing, in reality they have only built 6 permanent homes.

Many of the Haitians that live in the cities and neighborhoods that the Red Cross has claimed to have helped don’t see the millions of dollars donated by people who actually want to make a change. Much of their money has instead gone to promotional ads and sponsorships. For example, they have been known to drive around empty vans for photo ops and to paint murals of their symbol.

We cannot in good conscience continue to let the Red Cross abuse their power and donors. If we want to achieve a world where no one is suffering from danger and emergency, we must start at the center of it all. We must strive for a better Red Cross, and for a better world. So please, I encourage you all to do research before you donate and ensure that your money is going to the right places.